106 Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. 



It was, however, deficient in several particulars ; and we therefore give 

 the following additions from authority. Of the pears sent from Hope- 

 toun House, the wail kinds were, beurre Diel, beurre d'Aremberg, beurre 

 de Capiaumont, Colmar Bosc, gloat morceau, and Grumkower winter- 

 birn ; and the standard sorts, Nelis d'hiver, beurre Diel, and autumn 

 Colmar. 



It may not be uninteresting to add to the account already given of the prize 

 awarded for the fruit of Mus« sapientum to Mr. M'Nab, that, under the 

 management of that distinguished cultivator, and with the aid of the spacious 

 new hot-houses liberally erected, two years ago, at the expense of government, 

 no fewer than five species of Musa have this year produced their perfect fruit ; 

 viz. the true banana above mentioned (Musa; sapientum) ; the dacca, which 

 yielded a cluster of 80 fruit, averaging 10 oz. each; the Musa Cavendishw; 

 Musff paridisiaca; and a species from St. Helena (name not ascertained), 

 which afforded a cluster of 80 fruit, the whole weighing 7.5 lb. Besides these, 

 Musa coccinea and M. rosacea showed flowers, but they proved abortive. It is 

 a curious fact, that a box containing an ample store of the ripe fruit of several 

 of these bananas was transmitted to the Lord Mayor of London for the ban- 

 quet given to the Queen at Guildhall. These were calculated to form the 

 most magnificent, and at the same time the rarest, dish of fruit at the royal 

 dessert ; but, from what cause is not known, this precious gift was never once 

 noticed in the report regarding the dinner and dessert given in the newspapers. 

 The reporters are not to blame, for they evidently tried to be as minute and 

 accurate as possible ; but it is strange that the purveyors of the dessert did 

 not include them in the lists or notes furnished to the gentlemen of the press. 

 Is it possible that the purveyors did not know the fruit ? Were they as- 

 tounded at the sight of such huge, oblong, angular berries ? Or were they 

 afraid that their luscious flavour would eclipse the relish of all the other 

 fruits ? Did the aldermen of the city not know how to estimate the value and 

 rarity of the Scottish present, or were they slow to believe that anything 

 good could come out of Scotland ? 



The Tropae^olum tuberosum, the tubers of which, when boiled, were found to 

 be "of very delicate flavour, resembling the richest asparagus," may be readily 

 multiplied by cuttings during the summer months. The Portugal cabbage 

 [probably the same as the dwarf Couve Tronchuda, mentioned Vol. II. 

 p. 485.] is allied to the Braganza or Couve Tronchuda, but is smaller and 

 more tender in texture. It was from Archerfield Garden, under the manage- 

 ment of Mr. Macintosh. The midribs of the leaves are succulent, crisp, and 

 white. When stewed, they are found equal to sea-kale, or more delicate. 



The basket of fresh ginger roots, already mentioned (p. 59.), were fit for 

 preserving, and equal in size and pungency to those from the West Indies ; 

 and they were from the stove of the secretary. Dr. Neill, where Mr. Lawson, 

 his gardener, found no difficulty in producing the roots. Two or three 

 shallow pans will aflbi'd a sufficiency of roots to fill an ordinary sized jar. 

 They should be taken up and washed whenever the leaves show a tendency 

 to decay. 



The plants of the Florence fennel, or finochio (see Vol. VIII. p. 267.), had 

 been raised at the Meadowbank Nurseries, belonging to the enterprising Mr. 

 Chas. Lawson, seedsman to the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, 

 who brought the seeds with him from France. The plants had been earthed 

 up like celery, and the stems were thus well blanched. The Bon Jardinier for 

 1837, under the article "Fenouil d'ltalie," merely recommends hoeing, weed- 

 ing, and watering ; but the earthing up is a decided improvement in the mode 

 of culture. It may be remarked, that the seed should be sown late in the 

 season, not sooner than the middle of June. The stems, which are the part 

 used, have sufficient time to swell before the end of October, without the 

 risk of the plant beginning to run to flower, when the stalks naturally become 

 thready and hard. On the Continent, the stems are eaten raw, in slices {en 



